


gravity of the heart

by ofstrays



Series: every stray kids pairing [2]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, sprinkle of mythology elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-06-02 04:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19433833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofstrays/pseuds/ofstrays
Summary: Taking a job at a bookstore leads a bright-eyed Han Jisung to meet Lee Minho, a strange man who just wants to read in peace, and the two fall into one another's orbit.





	gravity of the heart

**Author's Note:**

> henlo! thank u for checking out this fic!  
> this is my first minsung so pls be gentle w/ me,,  
> this is an original idea of mine and i think it  
> suits these two pretty well!!
> 
> PRE FIC WARNING;  
> there is soft spice within this fic! nothing graphic,  
> nothing overly sexual, just something to add to  
> their character / relationship development! that  
> being said, I hope you enjoy this fic, and thank  
> you for reading it!!

When a star reaches the end of its life, a brilliant light show is put on for all the galaxy to see. By the time such a phenomenon reaches Earth, the star has been dead for millions of years. It falls and falls within the vast expanse of space, tumbling further into darkness until it reaches something grander. Falling from their perch does not equate death, however. Rather, the next chapter begins, and they once more take center stage.

——— ( o ) ———

Working at a bookstore for the summer hadn’t been Jisung’s idea. In fact, he’d protested quite loudly against what his parents were suggesting. He hated dealing with stuck up people, and those with their noses buried in books were the worst. Speaking from personal experience of course, considering his father happened to belong to that category. Jisung couldn’t really fight against them, however, since he did currently occupy a space beneath their roof. Grumbling, he’d reluctantly agreed, and applied. He'd done his best to bomb the interview, he really did, but his future boss had apparently seen something in him worth hiring. Or maybe he just wanted to 'fix' Jisung's so-called bad personality. Either way, he now stood on his feet for close to eight hours a day and came home with about ten paper cuts a week. What a life, right?

In his month working there, Jisung had encountered more than his fair share of aforementioned stuck up people. Some were rich know-it-alls that Jisung really had to bite his tongue for to keep his words in check. Others were mothers seeking peace from their children, which came in the form of letting them run wild in the store; he hated those days the most. So much mess to clean. His least favorite out of all the customers though were the older ones. They were never satisfied and always angry over expired coupons.

Despite the experience he had gained so far, none of them had prepared Jisung for _him_. Nor did he really make the best first impression.

He blinked at the book set on the counter before him, and the words were out before he could stop them. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone willingly buy Hamlet before.” Jisung stared down at the book that had just been slid so casually towards him. The cover was one of those special limited edition bindings, made from faux leather and weathered to look old. Also extremely overpriced. People found that kind of thing aesthetically pleasing though; Jisung did not.

The man on the other side of the counter lowered his head a bit. His hair was the color of ink, standing out sharply against the lights illuminating the store. A flash of dark eyes accompanied the slump in stature. The stranger's skin was smooth, a single earring taking up residence in his left ear, and _holy shit_ was he tall. But anyone was abnormally tall to Jisung, who was so short he got to use the stepladder for top shelf books.

Jisung fell into silence for a moment, just taking in the sight of him. _Damn_ was he beautiful. The sound of clinking coins and ruffled bills broke him from his staring, and Jisung swiftly pulled the book towards him before he was caught staring.

“It’s a good play,” the customer mumbled.

“It’s a long play.”

“But a good one.”

Jisung rocked on his heels, shoving the copy of Hamlet into a bag. “Of course, of course!" It wasn't his favorite but, well, Jisung couldn't really name any other plays. Partly because he didn't care, but mostly because he didn't care. "Anything else, sir?”

Another book appeared upon the counter. It was small, roughly the size of a pocket edition, and had the words ‘The Fated Sky’ printed in white upon its star-speckled cover. He’d never heard of that book before and he could tell from a glance that it was an older one. For someone who didn't read that much, he had to admit his curiosity had been jabbed awake. Jisung scanned the barcode and dropped it into the bag as well. “Is that everything?”

A small nod was given in his direction. Not that uncommon of a response but still annoying nonetheless.

“Okay! Your total is twenty-eight thousand won.”

Money was shoved in his direction, the strangers hand trembling just a bit. Jisung's brows furrowed and he couldn't help but wonder if he'd upset the customer a bit; he really couldn't take another complaint on his record. He accepted it with a little tug to free it from the customer’s hand. Once that was done, he held out the change. The customer accepted it with a bit of hesitation. “Thank you for shopping with us! Have a nice day!”

He didn’t get a verbal response, simply a dip of the customer’s head. They accepted the bag and shuffled away, looking a little nervous.

Jisung watched him go with a click of his tongue. He greeted the next customer with yet another cheerful smile, but the mysterious Hamlet buyer seemed to linger in the back of his mind the rest of the day.

——— ( o ) ———

The next time Jisung saw him, he was clutching a copy of Aesop’s Fables within his hands. He didn’t get to check him out—at the register at least—and was mildly upset about it. Something about the strange man had caught his attention, and Jisung just couldn’t seem to stop thinking about him. Especially his eyes.

Every time he came into the little book store, he seemed to buy at least two different books. Different in every sense, pulled from all over the world. Sometimes they were plays, sometimes they were on mythology, and other times they contained nothing but maps of the stars. Which he knew about because, well, he started checking them out too. For research of course! Not because he really wanted a chance to talk to the beautiful stranger. Of course not.

Jisung began to notice the little glimmer in his eyes whenever they were paid for. Whatever trace of nerves his first purchase seemed to contain had long since faded, and he didn’t really seem bothered by their first meeting. In fact, he looked more excited than ever to get home and read them. Jisung was glad no complaint had been made against his record too.

Today, Jisung had been tasked with working at the in-store cafe. One of their usual employees had taken a sick day unexpectedly, leaving only two employees to handle everything. There weren’t enough hands to keep up with the usual lunch rush, thus the duty fell upon Jisung. He’d worked there two or three times and although he wasn’t particularly skilled in making drinks, he was the most qualified currently in store. If there was one job he hated more than bookstore cashier, it was cafe cashier. The people that got angry over coupons paled in comparison to the people who wanted two puffs of whipped cream or their pastry just a little hotter. Jisung often shuddered whenever the possibility of him working there was brought up.

The cafe itself was nestled in the far right corner of the store, effectively as far away from the main registers as you could get. Jisung loathed working there, for the breaks between people were few and far between. Not to mention the time he’d gotten a coffee thrown in his direction. Hot drink missed his face of course, but not his clothes, and that customer had earned a lifetime ban that day. In all honesty, he was surprised when the dark-haired stranger came strolling up. There was a bag dangling from his fingers and what could be considered a smile on his face. Upon seeing Jisung, he came to a halt, expression flickering to something he couldn’t really understand. It was so intense that he shuffled behind the register. Jisung offered a small smile paired with a friendly wave but couldn't seem to shake the weird feeling the stranger's reaction gave him.

After a few seconds to examining him, the man stepped up to the counter.

“Hello hello! What can I get for you?”

He pressed his fingers against the counter. They were pretty, nails even and clean, and Jisung felt a bit weird admitting that to himself. Was that normal?

“Ah, I suppose you don’t know my usual.”

Seungmin, the excitable redhead Jisung had befriended these last few weeks, poked his head out from the kitchen area. “Don’t worry about it, Minho! I’ll make it for you.”

Jisung glanced between Seungmin and the dark-haired stranger. Minho, huh? It was a pretty name; he liked it. He wasn't aware he was staring until Seungmin's voice cut through his daydreaming.

“... Jisung. Hey, Jisung! You’re at work you know!”

He blinked to clear away his thoughts, offering a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Seungmin. I’ll ring him up.”

Minho was staring at the register with just the faintest hint of a smile. Jisung took his order carefully. It was … honestly a strange drink. He understood why Seungmin had offered. Who mixed vanilla coffee with green tea? When he was done, he settled against the counter and watched Seungmin maneuver around, grabbing the various things Minho wanted. Jisung wondered if he was a common sight back here, considering he had a usual. Perhaps this was where he went after buying his new books for the day.

“Here you go!” The drink was slid across the counter. “Did you buy a new book today?”

That answered his questions.

“I bought one on the stars today. I read a few good reviews about it and wanted to check it out.” Minho lowered his head a bit, pulling his weird concoction to his chest.

“That sounds interesting. I’ll have to check it out sometime.” Seungmin smiled, and the two of them watched Minho head over to one of the tables within the cafe.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Jisung whipped to Seungmin with wide eyes. “You know him?”

Seungmin glanced up from where he was refilling the sugar. “Of course. I know all of my regulars. He’s got a fascination with vanilla flavored stuff for some reason. Not sure why he mixes with green tea of all things though.”

Jisung looked between the counter and Seungmin. “... what can you tell me about him?”

“Oh? Interested in him?” His coworker smiled, tossing the now-empty sugar bag in the garbage.

His entire face heated up. “No, of course not!”

Seungmin laughed. “You can’t hide things from me, Jisung! That’s cute!” He pointed a mixing spoon in his direction. “He buys a lot of books, mostly on mythology and astronomy.” Information Jisung already knew. “Has a real interest in the arts too. Talk to him about space and I’m sure you’ll get to know him better. I don't think he really knows how to interact with people, so maybe home school? I don't know.”

Jisung was already hatching a plan.

“Oh!” Seungmin walked to the register to take a customer’s order. “He’s mentioned you a few times too. Likes your eyes.”

Jisung was at least sixty-five percent certain he fainted because the rest of the day seemed to pass by in a blur.

——— ( o ) ———

After a few regulars complimenting his charisma, Jisung was given the option to work primarily at the cafe. Although it didn’t really matter either way, for as long as he could chat with Minho he was fine, he ultimately picked the cafe. It totally had nothing to do with how he learned that Minho spent more time there, seated at one of the tables with his eyes constantly scanning over books. Totally not, truly.

Once Seungmin mentioned it, Jisung began to notice the pauses whenever Minho seen his eyes. How his voice would falter whenever Jisung turned to take his order. He had to admit, he enjoyed it immensely. This also answered his fears about the reaction Minho displayed on first laying eyes on him there.

In his free time, Jisung took to buying or heading to the local library to check out just what Minho was reading. He was full of curiosity and, in doing so, learned some pretty interesting things about the universe and folktales he'd normally have no interest in. Now, Jisung wasn't a dumbass. He'd breezed through school easier than most people wanted to admit, and his top choice university easily accepted him. Jisung may have projected himself as a fool but certain subjects came as second nature. Well, maybe he was a fool, because he took a gap year instead, and thus landed himself a job at a bookstore that he was currently experiencing _maybe this isn't so bad_ feelings towards. Shout out to Minho for that.

Though they'd never spoken to each other outside of customer to clerk formalities, Jisung began to observe the beautiful man. He felt kind of weird about it at first, ducking behind bookshelves and peeking from the cafe kitchen, but it truly was innocent curiosity. Jisung quickly learned of all the strange habits Minho seemed to have. Dipping his head wasn't so uncommon, but his words always felt like they were carefully selected, like he was afraid of making a mistake. He had a strange accent that none of them seemed to be able to pinpoint too. And the way he walked ... it was incredibly fluid. Jisung didn't question that last part so much though. It was always interesting watching him walk, like Minho was gliding across the floor; he carried himself in an incredibly graceful manner. He always looked genuinely happy when he did so as well.

Inevitably, despite wandering a bit aimlessly through the streets, Jisung ended up at the bookstore. Perhaps part of him wanted a book Minho had been reading, but the truthful answer would be because he wanted to speak to the man—without the duties of work looming above him.

Upon entering, Jisung was greeted by some of his coworkers. He offered a friendly wave and dipped into the aisles, hoping he didn't look weird prowling the rows upon rows of books without pause. But with his mind focused entirely on the task at hand, he didn't really care how out of place he may have seemed. Unsurprisingly, Jisung eventually found him within the space section. Minho's fingers ran delicately across the spines of the books lined neatly upon the shelves. He was gentle, like he would damage them if not carefully selected. Even selecting a book showcased one of his interesting manners. Every third book brought about a pause of hand, fingers traveling down the spine, before moving on. The cycle repeated. Jisung wasn't really sure what the point was but, well, Minho didn't seem like an easy person to understand.

"Um! Hey there!" He called out.

His words startled Minho from his trance, the man visibly jumping. Dark eyes were turned in his direction, probably to call out the offender, before he seemed to recognize. His gaze grew soft, Minho straightening his back. A shuffle of movement came from his direction and a book was plucked from the shelf. "Ah ... you're Jisung, the one who works the register."

Jisung jabbed his thumb into his chest. "That's me!" Surprisingly, he didn't feel any more nervousness within. Nope, wait, there it was. "You're Minho." The words weren't framed as a question, rather a statement.

Something seemed to glimmer in those deep brown eyes. Minho seemed happy his name had been remembered. "That's correct. My name is Lee Minho."

"Your name is really pretty. I'm Han Jisung, it's nice to meet you!" He held out his hand.

Minho's eyes traveled between the offered hand and Jisung's face, looking just a little bit lost. Those eyes shifted around Jisung's body once before a gentle hand gripped his own. He was given a soft shake but that was enough for Jisung.

"Hey, what book did you grab? Something fun?" He leaned over a bit, hoping to glance at the cover. Minho pulled away, probably out of reflex due to such a high-energy stranger.

"It's um ... a book on aliens," Minho said softly.

"Oh!" Jisung smiled. "You're into aliens too, Minho?"

"Mm ..." Minho shook his head. "Not really. I just like learning new things." This opened up a whole new world of questions but, luckily for Minho's sake, he began talking again. "I ... usually go to the in-store cafe to read what I buy. I'd like to head there as I haven't eaten yet."

Jisung, ignoring the weird way of declaring hunger, perked up. "Could I tag along? I haven't eaten yet either."

"I ..." The dark-haired man looked more than a little unsure. Very, very unsure. His fingers clung to the book tightly, knuckles white from the stress put upon them, and Jisung felt his heart do a flip. Last thing he wanted was to make Minho uncomfortable. Luckily, Minho seemed unbothered. "Well, I suppose I don't mind. Company would be ... nice."

That made him feel better; he sighed in relief. "I can meet you back there if you would prefer! So you can go check out." Jisung jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

Minho nodded his agreement, and his eyes followed the man as he carefully picked his way to the registers. As soon as he rounded a corner of books, Jisung whipped his phone out of his pocket.

[TEXT TO: puppy!] ok ok u were right! I asked to sit w/ him & he said yes!

[TEXT FROM: puppy!] I told you! Now don't screw it up!

[TEXT TO: puppy!] u worry too much!!

With a smile on his face and confidence in his heart, Jisung hurried off towards the cafe.

——— ( o ) ———

"Wow, you're all the way from Rome? That's so far away."

Minho nodded without looking up. His attention was completely on the book open before him, fingers keeping the pages from snapping shut on him. A pencil case decorated with watermelons, which was something that made Jisung internally lose it, sat next to him. Several writing tools, spanning from highlighters, to sticky notes, to various ink pens, lay scattered around the table. Minho seemed intent on making notes out of specific parts of the book, and though they'd just sat down about twenty minutes ago, he was already a quarter of the way into it. Jisung couldn't quite make out exactly what he was highlighting. In fact, he was more impressed with how fast of a reader Minho seemed to be.

"Are you doing that for a college project?" Jisung's curiosity got the best of him. He took a sip of his hot chocolate, spotting Seungmin behind Minho's head; he was giving a thumbs up.

"I don't attend college. It's something I just do for ... fun?" Minho's brow furrowed, voice wavering like it wasn't quite the word he was searching for. The struggle was visible in his pretty features. "I don't know. I just enjoy learning about these subjects, if that's a better answer."

Jisung felt kinda of bad asking so many questions but Minho hadn't told him to stop yet. "What do you do for a living?" He sat back. "You know where I work of course."

Minho smiled, but still didn't look up. "I have no need to work."

An ... interesting answer, but maybe he had some kind of agreement with family? Or maybe he was one of the rich types? He certainly wasn't stuck-up though. Jisung's mouth opened, ready to ask what it meant, when the sound of his phone ringing cut through their conversation. He answered and immediately jumped to his feet; his dog needed emergency surgery. "Ah! Sorry Minho, I gotta run! I'm so sorry!"

Minho looked up at him but there were no signs of upset. "Okay. Good luck, Jisung."

Jisung bowed and spun on his heel, racing from the store. Despite his fears over messing things up, Seungmin texted him later to inform that Minho wasn't angry. Thus, Jisung chalked it up to a good first day of communication.

——— ( o ) ———

For the next three days, Minho didn't show up to the store once. Jisung, being the worrier he was, was terrified that he'd somehow screwed up his chances with the mysterious stranger. Seungmin kept assuring him that nothing was wrong but Jisung couldn't shake the nervousness humming through his veins. When Minho finally showed up on the fourth day, arms covered in bruises, it took everything in Jisung not to pry. Minho didn't look up for answering either and so he let it be.

——— ( o ) ———

A week passed from Minho's strange absence, and it had taken another two days after that for the duo to speak again. Their conversation had fallen into a comfortable medium, with Jisung growing more and more used to the way Minho spoke and acted. They ended up at the same table from their initial meeting, though this time Jisung was merely on a lunch break rather than having a day off.

"So, you're telling me there's a whole planet out there just ... covered in diamonds?" Jisung's mouth hung open, clearly shocked by the fact Minho had so casually thrown out.

Minho took a bit out of his chocolate chip cookie, nodding his head. "Yes. It's part of the Cancer constellation, and you can see it with the naked eye."

"Wow, that's so cool! I wanna go into the country and see if I can find it now."

Dark eyes flashed in his direction. "There's a planet made out of rock candy too."

Jisung squinted. "Now that one sounds a little fake."

"I'm being serious! A whole planet made of rock candy and not a single journey to retrieve any of it. Really makes you think," Minho said with a nod.

He cautiously picked up his half-eaten cinnamon roll, taking another bite out of it. "Rock candy, huh? I'm gonna have to tell Seungmin about that."

Minho eyes him for a moment before making a soft noise in his throat. He tilted his head back a bit, a soft laugh spilling from his lips. The sound was so pretty it felt like Jisung's heart was going to stop. "You're very entertaining, Jisung. Of course there's no planet made of rock candy."

He pouted around his cinnamon roll, clearly offended. "I knew it! You know how crunchy that would be? Where would you sleep? You'd be doomed to eat rocks forever!"

Minho covered his mouth, concealing his smile as he laughed once more. "Some excellent points."

Jisung smiled brightly, swelling with pride over making Minho laugh. He glanced at the clock on the wall beyond him, realizing his break was just about over. The man hopped to his feet, shoving the rest of his cinnamon roll down his throat. "Lunch is almost over and duty calls! I gotta go." He dusted the crumbs from his hands and turned to head off.

"Wait a moment! Are you free tonight, Jisung?" There wasn't a trace of hesitation in Minho's voice.

"M'hmm! I'm always free." He tossed his wrapper into the distance, silently cheering as it landed safely in a trashcan; he pretended to ignore Seungmin's disapproving frown.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me?"

Jisung stumbled a bit, clearly caught off guard. Excitement and nervousness flooded his entire body and yet, even with those, he felt strangely ... calm? They'd only known each other for less than two months and yet this felt so fluid, so _normal_. Minho had even loosened up his personality a bit too.

Fishing a pen from his pocket, he leaned over the table and scribbled his number onto a napkin, earning him a strange look from Minho. "I gotta go before I get in trouble but I'd love to! Just text me the details and we can go from there." Jisung smiled, spinning around before his heart gave out.

"Wait, Jisung—" The words were lost in the noise of the cafe.

Jisung was already out of earshot.

——— ( o ) ———

"Wait Jisung, don't leave yet." Jisung paused in tying his shoe, tilting his head back to acknowledge the owner of the voice. It was Seungmin, hair messy and a coffee stain on his work uniform. A piece of paper was nestled lightly between his fingers. "Minho left this for you. He asked me to pass it along before he went home."

Jisung finished tying his shoe and rose to full height, gratefully accepting the paper. He unfolded it, eyes coming across a confusing mess of marks. Once he managed to make out what he was looking at, he realized how elegant it was. Minho looked unsure in his writing but it still flowed in a pretty way.

_Jisung, I forgot to inform you that I do not have a cellphone. I'm giving this note to Seungmin in hopes that it reaches you before you leave. Meet me at the clock tower down the street around seven. See you then. —Minho._

Jisung pouted. "Minho doesn't have a phone. How am I supposed to send him cute memes and important life questions?"

Seungmin slid his jacket on, zipping it shut. "Even if he did, I don't think he'd appreciate random texts at three in the morning. Even _I_ can barely handle those."

"That's so mean!" He said in mock-offense.

The redhead chuckled. "Better hurry up and head home. You should shower before your date. That's what it is, right?"

He stuffed the paper into his pocket with an inquisitive expression. "How'd you know?"

His coworker held open the door, humming softly. There was a smile on his face. "I've never seen Minho so excited about something before, and I've seen him try vanilla cappuccino with honey. If you need anything, just shoot me a text." Seungmin stepped outside after Jisung. "And don't mess it up."

"You have little faith in the great Han Jisung."

"Great isn't the word I'd use."

Jisung's cry of indignation was swallowed up by the door swinging shut behind them.

——— ( o ) ———

Han Jisung had never been someone to show up on time. He'd been late being born (by two days), late to his sixteenth birthday, late to his graduation, and even late to his damn job interview. This time was no different, really, and he ran up nearly six minutes passed seven. Minho didn't seem to mind at all but he still felt pretty bad, especially considering the giant ass clock tower proudly displaying the time behind them.

They were now seated in a very fancy restaurant with very fancy decor. If Jisung had to guess, he'd say about four star. He didn't really know much about etiquette and all that fun stuff so it was met with apprehension. They were seated within a private room overlooking a beautiful garden, a pond with several benches taking up the center. A few fireflies were floating lazily in the breeze, offering an ambiance that Jisung could feel even from inside. Jisung's curiosity over how Minho could afford such a glorious place burned within him, to the point he'd insisted they split the bill multiple times; he finally gave up when given a firm no.

Minho was dressed nicely. He was wearing a white undershirt, covered by a long black hoodie, a tight-fitting black choker around his throat. Everything was nicely tucked without a single crease, and he looked almost too good to be real.

Jisung, on the other hand, was wearing a black shirt with a grey hoodie that was two sizes too big for him. He felt kind of out of place, especially compared to his date, but that was alright; this kind of scenery suited Minho more anyway.

Their waitress was incredibly polite and helpful, taking their order with a wide smile and a friendly attitude. She answered all of their questions about various dishes and what went into making them, mostly from Minho, before they placed their orders. The waitress slipped out with a soft tap of the door shutting. Several seconds passed before Jisung focused his attention upon the man seated opposite him, fidgeting in his seat. Conversation topic ... conversation topic ... oh!

"Oh hey, Minho? You said you were from Rome, right? Are you Korean and ... Romani?"

Minho shook his head. "No, just Korean, and Rome is within Italy, Jisung. The Romani are an ethnic group all their own."

His ears burned, and Jisung swiftly took a drink of his water. "I see, I see."

Catching the sight across from him, Minho laughed, the sound as beautiful as the first time he'd heard it, and Jisung's heart swelled with happiness. "No need to get embarrassed, it's a valid question."

Conversation seemed to grow easier after that, and Jisung steadily learned more and more of Minho's life than he thought he would. His parents had apparently found him within a field late at night, surrounded by fireflies. He hadn't cried at all, even when they brought him home. In fact, he never cried ... ever. Minho had fallen deathly ill the first two weeks they took care of him, to the point that every doctor lucky enough to check him over truly believed the frail baby wouldn't make it. Minho, however, was a fighter and surprised all of them by pulling through. He'd only recently moved to South Korea, about three months prior, and had found the bookstore by pure accident. It fueled his need for knowledge, and Jisung sent a silent prayer to the gods for making it his store Minho had stumbled upon.

Things with Minho felt natural. He didn't feel any bit of nervousness in his presence, no matter what they happened to speak about. The pair lost track of time and only came back down to Earth when dinner was laid out in front of them.

Their meal was full of laughter and drinking. Jisung couldn't remember a time when he'd enjoyed himself that much. In the span of a single night, Lee Minho fully captured his heart.

——— ( o ) ———

Their second date went just as well. So did the third, and the fourth, and the fifth, and before Jisung knew it they were on the twentieth. Jisung had moved to his own apartment between those points, offering more ideas for dates. Like watching movies and cuddling on his fancy new couch. Jisung and Minho had hit it off pretty well, and Minho had grown completely comfortable around him. His personality changed and he opened up more, becoming his true self. Turned out Minho had a sarcastic streak and was really, really good at pushing Jisung's buttons. He was also pretty funny with pretty much anything he did, and Jisung loved it more than he cared to admit.

This was date xyz at this point. It was a particularly cold summer night and Jisung had taken up residence on his couch, curling into a blanket to hide from the cool air. Minho had wandered into the kitchen to gather some snacks for their movie night. Said man returned with a large red bowl, nearly overflowing with popcorn, and two drinks balancing precariously in his other hand. Now, one would think that after twenty plus dates, they would be, you know, dating. But Jisung and Minho were really, really dense. Really.

So, even though Jisung wanted Minho to nestle into his blanket with him, he wasn't sure if he should offer. But! Not all hope was lost. Jisung planned on asking Minho tonight, even if he didn't really know how to go about it just yet.

"What are we watching, Jisung?" The dark-haired man asked, settling on the other end of the couch. He was wrapped in the white fleece blanket Jisung's mother had bought him as a housewarming gift.

"Jurassic World!"

"Oh!" Minho's face lit up. "The dinosaur movie, right?" He looked incredibly proud of himself for some reason.

"Yeah, the dinosaur one. Work just got in some new copies after forever so I finally bought it."

There was a nod in his direction, Minho setting the bowl of popcorn between them. "Please feel free to start it. I'm interested now."

Jisung's hand popped free from the blanket, remote in hand. He pressed play before it was retracted just as quickly, a chill traveling down his spine at the press of cold air.

Unfortunately for Jisung, he stopped paying attention about halfway through the movie. His eyes were sneaking too many glances at Minho to truly pay attention to the screen. Minho, on the other, was absolutely enthralled. His full focus was on the sound and color blurring in front of him, eyes flicking around every inch and nodding as if responding to the conversations. He visibly jumped at the sight of some of the dinosaur scares, and looked genuinely sad when some of the sadder parts came up. Maybe he just really liked movies, but Minho didn't really look like the type to watch them alone.

Jisung looked back to the television, trying his hardest to stay as focused as possible, but he was struggling. The movie itself wasn't bad by any stretch, but his question had made him energized with nerves throughout the entire ordeal. He let out a sigh of relief once it was over.

His gaze swiveled in Minho's direction, taking in every detail on his pretty face. He seemed intensely focused on something even though the credits were rolling. "Hey, Minho? Can I ask you something?" The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could really think twice.

Minho met his eyes, blinking. His head tilted in that cute way. "Yes?"

Jisung took a moment to collect his thoughts, filing them into proper folders and formulating words. The man swallowed down his fear. It was now or never. "Would you ... would you wanna date me? You don't have to but, well, this thing we're doing? What _is_ this thing we're doing?"

Silence spanned between them, an expanse that could rival space above them. Minho's eyes gained that same intensity from the first time they met; Jisung swore he didn't blink a single time.

"Listen, Jisung ..." He felt his heart drop into his stomach. "There are some things you need to know before I answer that question, things I'm not sure if you're quite ready to hear. Or see."

So not a rejection. Jisung affixed him with a quiet stare; he didn't know if he could trust his voice. "I guess," Minho said, sucking in a breath, "A better way would be to show you. This is a big secret but ... I trust you with this. It's a part of _who I am_ , and I'm putting my trust in you, Jisung. Can I trust you?"

He nodded vigorously. "Anything. You can tell me anything."

Minho let out the breath he was holding and extended a hand. "Okay. Hold my hand, close your eyes, and please don't panic on me."

Jisung hesitated for a moment, his gaze traveling between the outstretched hand and Minho's face. Just what was Minho going to do ...? But he had just promised Minho that he could trust him no matter what, so shouldn't Jisung be able to do the same? Fingers shaking, he slid them into Minho's warm hand; his skin was surprisingly soft. Taking a deep breath, Jisung closed his eyes.

"Alright. Now please, Jisung, don't freak out."

"I won—" His words were cut off by a sudden explosion of color behind his eyelids. Jisung felt a rush of fear and excitement and thrill all at once, the sensations flooding through him. Things mashed together, moving by in a blur, and he swore he felt the cold embrace of _nothingness_. Whatever nothing happened to be.

Things continued to swirl like that for what felt like eternity, even if it was only a second in reality. Jisung began to move his eyes around, searching for something chase away the empty feeling surrounding his body ... and that was when he saw them. Big, beautiful, and reflected light from a sun much larger than their own. Millions upon millions of stars and planets, spattered across the expanse of darkness. Some were blue, some were purple, some were yellow. Every single one of them were beautiful and unique, and Jisung knew they were like him. So far away, yet so pretty, so untouchable ... It felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest.

And then, just as suddenly as the vision had come, it was gone; Minho let go of his hand.

Jisung's eyes flew wide open, searching for Minho's face as he struggled to ground himself. "What the hell was that? They were so pretty! How did you do that!"

"One question at a time." Minho took a few shaky breaths, trying to regain some energy; bruises had blossomed across his forearms. Something that didn't go unnoticed.

"How did ..."

Minho put up a hand, effectively silencing him. "What you saw was the galaxy beyond your own, far, far away. The planets, the stars ... they're all beautiful, huh?" He pointed to a bruise on his arm. "This is what happens when I use my power, don't worry about it; they don't hurt."

"Power? How did you do that? They were absolutely gorgeous." Jisung's heart was racing just as quickly as his mind, eyes a mess of sparkles and excitement.

Minho cleared his throat, scratching at his cheek. "Would you believe me if ... I told you I was a star?"

Silence stretched between them once more. Jisung's head tilted, mimicking the way Minho's did. "A star ...? Like, an idol star?"

Minho shook his head. "Like ... a fallen star from space."

Jisung could only stare in disbelief.

The dark-haired man lowered his head, eyelids heavy. "Remember Jisung, I'm only telling you this because I trust you ... and it's true. Twenty-two years ago, I burned up and became Fallen. I'm honestly not sure how all of this works myself, but when we die, we get sent here to grow up as a human. I spent years in space." Minho took another soft breath, refocusing his gaze upon the ceiling. "I was lonely ... but when you're a star, you don't really think of those kinds of things. You only feel empty."

Jisung felt his heart clench. He recalled the feeling of nothingness from the vision. Being alone in space must've been pretty sad, especially with no one to talk to. He shook his head though, trying to figure out whether he should rationalize all of this or pretend Minho was speaking nonsense. "M-minho, not that I don't believe you but ... do you have proof ...?"

There was a soft chuckle, and Minho raised his hand. "Showing you my memories wasn't enough? I suppose that's understandable. In that case ... this will have to do." The man snapped his fingers, startling Jisung, and a thin trail of golden dust swirled out from his fingertips. Jisung leaned forwards a bit, completely entranced by the pretty gold in front of him. Minho snapped his fingers once more, the dust disappearing into nothing.

"Okay, okay, I believe you now." He had so many more questions to ask but couldn't seem to find the ability to make words. Was this why Minho was in Rome? Why did he come to Korea? Where did he live? There were so many unanswered questions.

Minho sat back, eyes fixating on the television. "... I came to this country because I heard of its observatory, but I wasn't able to get in. They _still_ won't let me in."

Jisung shook his head. "T-that shouldn't be your main concern! Where are you sleeping? Where does your money come from? Are you getting enough to eat? Minhoooo!!"

The man had a shadow of annoyance on his face. "When my adoptive parents passed three years ago, they left me a large sum of money. I've been staying at a local hotel."

Jisung, completely forgetting about the dating question, brought his fist down against the palm of his other hand. "Stay here! I won't charge you rent, and I do have that spare bedroom. Stop funneling money into a hotel."

Minho blinked. "Move in here ...? Are you sure?"

"Of course! I'm more than fine with it."

"Even with finding out I'm a star?"

"Well, I still don't fully understand it but ... it's fine. Just don't leave golden dust all over."

Jisung was more confused than ever.

——— ( o ) ———

He got a full explanation the next day, once Minho had moved all of his things to Jisung's apartment. Which ... wasn't anything other than books, really.

Minho had essentially "died" and become a fallen star, a soul traveling through space until it landed upon a new world. He wasn't sure how the transformation happened, or even why it did, but his kind became whatever the most intelligent form of life was upon that planet. If there were no species to mimic, they just ... disappeared. At least, that's all that Minho knew.

Minho was, in theory, completely human. The golden dust didn't serve much purpose aside from being pretty to look at but it was an ability Minho never grew tired of. He could recall his memories as a star above and project them into other people's minds, but he wasn't inherently _special_ , as Minho put it. Jisung found a human that was once a star to be pretty damn special though.

A nice couple in their late thirties came across him without knowing what he was, mistaking him for an abandoned child. He learned much later that his sick state came from acclimating to the need for temperature control and oxygen. Minho didn't really know what he was either until he turned eight years old. Without warning, he could suddenly picture everything in space as clearly as he was there, and the golden dust began to flow from his fingertips without warning. His memories as a star returned shortly thereafter, and Minho learned to control the various aspects of his powers.

Minho dived into research on anything he could find after that. Astronomy, mythology, legends, myths, star maps ... anything he could get his hands on was read. There were others like him once, lost in the span of history as their lives above came to a close. As one page turned, a new one became open, and Minho discovered quite a few old texts detailing the lives of those who existed long before him. They were a great help in his search for knowledge about himself, and thus gave leads to things even further out of the realm of possibility. Olympus wasn't hard to find it turned out, and Minho ended up traveling there to speak with various deities on the subject of fallen stars. Zeus did, in fact, have something to do with fallen stars, but he wasn't exactly in a sharing mood at the time.

Jisung learned that at first, Minho hated it. Loathed it, actually. He was lonely without the call of other stars around him, and he missed his perch high in the sky. The hardest part about understanding his memories was how quiet it was on Earth; he could no longer hear his neighbors. Jisung couldn't really blame him for missing space.

"it's not bad though," Minho said one morning. "I got to meet you. Because of that, I don't mind being a human anymore."

Jisung's chest tightened, and tears swelled into his eyes; he was happy.

——— ( o ) ———

Two weeks passed. Minho had settled nicely into Jisung's apartment, prompting the two to go bookshelf shopping. The man (star?) had said yes to dating him. His life was taking good turns and with his newfound knowledge, Jisung was glad Minho hadn't become attached to a strange person or ended up in a far off government lab. They were happy in their little apartment, full of books on the heavens and little succulents scattered upon their windowsills.

This also meant Jisung took every opportunity to throw _very corny_ jokes at him.

"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"

Minho stared at him in confusion, setting his coffee down upon the table. "Yes, yes it did. We spoke of this."

That ... backfired. Maybe not the smartest pickup line to use. Jisung smiled sheepishly. "Uh ... lets just forget I said that."

The other man's eyes narrowed at him and he turned his attention back upon the books scattered along the time. Things were marked and carefully noted for later reading; it was a very Minho thing to do.

Jisung realized he was staring and turned away, reaching for his jacket. "I gotta head out to work. We're getting a new fantasy novel in today if you wanna stop by and have lunch with me. Well, you should regardless of whether you buy the book." He winked at his boyfriend.

A small chuckle came from Minho's direction. "I'll be sure to stop by. I always do, Jisung."

"Right, right. Can't help but remind you though. I'll see you later!" With that, Jisung let the front door click shut softly behind him.

——— ( o ) ———

Jisung came home to a dark, quiet house. Minho had looked considerably rundown during their lunch that day, and with all of the extra research he was doing, he probably wasn't feeling that well.

He wandered around their apartment in search of Minho, but it didn't take long to find him. Jisung found him passed out on the couch, covered with two blankets and nestled in pillows. Books were scattered across the floor, markers and sticky notes sprinkled in every corner of the couch. Warmth rose within his chest, and Jisung felt happiness flood every inch of his body. He leaned down and gently kissed Minho's forehead, picking markers and books from the couch so he could sleep more comfortably.

If someone had told him a year ago he'd end up dating a star, he definitely would've laughed in their face. Then again, his mind would totally be focused on an idol kind of star, not a star from outer damn space. Jisung loved his star though. Even if Minho could not longer shine as brightly as he did in his previous life, Jisung didn't think it mattered; he shone even more here on Earth. Jisung was glad he could spend his life at Minho's side.

——— ( o ) ———

Their first attempt at sex ended in awkward shuffling and eventually devolved into just cuddling. Minho wasn't quite ready, and Jisung was glad his boyfriend made those thoughts known. Sex wasn't something they needed to have a healthy relationship and he respected the caution with which Minho approached it. Jisung was content with waiting, no matter how long it took.

The second attempt followed after a nice dinner out. Things had been a little heated before they went, frustration clasped within Minho's body from some unknown source. He practically slammed Jisung against the door before they left, and there had been wandering hands and feet all over his thighs and hips the whole night. Dinner had practically been torture. Things didn't go quite as planned once they got home, however, resulting in the pair in a wheezing heap of laughter on the floor. Jisung had slipped off the bed following his excitement, dropping a brand new bottle of lubricant all over his chest. His ego deflated as quickly as his height, and they decided not to go through with it. The story became an infamous thing to share between them, usually when Minho wanted to get a laugh or groan out of him. Whatever was given in return usually depended on the mood.

It took four attempts before, pun intended, the stars aligned in their favor. Minho was extremely gentle with Jisung's body, to the point he seemed afraid he would break him. Jisung showed the same gentle awkwardness back, probably even more so than Minho; he wanted to make sure his boyfriend didn't feel uncomfortable. It wasn't perfect, but it suited their personalities well, and the two of them discovered more and more about each other as time went on. Things in their quiet apartment began to feel like home.

——— ( o ) ———

The fact that Minho was an actual star didn't really play a big part in their lives, surprisingly. In all honesty, Jisung kinda forgot about it most of the time. Alright ... that was a lie. It was a cool fact of their relationship that, though he wished he could bring up to people—especially his parents when they first met Minho—he didn't. He respected Minho's words.

Nothing changed, really. Jisung had expected them to, but it didn't really add or take away anything in their relationship. Things went on as usual.

——— ( o ) ———

Before they knew it, two years passed. Jisung still worked at that same little bookstore, eventually being promoted to manager. Minho landed a job there as well, although most of the time he ended up getting lost in books rather than doing work. No one seemed to mind, however, including the owner—he was a refreshing personality within their store.

Seungmin met a nice guy, someone by the name of Hwang Hyunjin, and Jisung insisted on meeting him. It didn't take long before Seungmin relented, bringing his boyfriend into the store for a visit. He was a handsome, talented dancer with a pretty face and good charisma; he seen first hand how cherry red Seungmin's face could get. It wasn't hard to see why Seungmin had fallen for him. While they didn't need Jisung's approval, Seungmin seemed satisfied with Jisung's acceptance of the man. He spotted just a hint of sadness in Seungmins' face as they walked away from him, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why.

He was glad Seungmin had moved on and found someone he loved.

At this point, Jisung had been planning something for a while now. Time never seemed to aligned correctly for them, with the two a constant mess of work and other events going on in their lives, but Jisung found a time; he ultimately decided to execute his plan a few weeks after his twenty-third birthday. Outside, the fall air was crisp but still on the warmer side. The scent of fallen leaves and hearty street food filled every corner. Things felt calm, and it was enough to offer comfort while his heart raced like crazy.

With Minho's hand in his own, he tugged his boyfriend down the street with excitement clear across his features.

"Ji, where are we going?" Jisung didn't think he could ever get used to the way that nickname sounded on Minho's lips.

"Don't worry, don't worry. It's a surprise!"

He led Minho through the streets, carefully navigating the crowd. The world was alive with singing and dancing, people trying to hand out food as they passed by, and an all-around excellent atmosphere. Jisung loved this part of town the most. "I heard about a place here so I wanted to take you."

The lights and buildings around them slowly thinned out. Things began to get fewer and far between, the pair leaving the city behind for the outskirts. Before Minho knew it, they were out in an expansive field. Jisung turned to look back at Minho. His boyfriend was staring intently at the sky; he was smiling.

"The stars are particularly bright on nights like this. I wanted to share something with you too."

Minho took a few steps away, clearly entranced by the beautiful stars above their heads. "Hm? Show me something?"

Jisung fished around his pocket, searching for a specific piece of paper. When found, he pulled it out and worked to delicately unfold it, Minho making his way back to peek. It was a star map, criss-crossed and highlighted in much of the same manner as Minho did things. Jisung pressed his finger on a particular part upon the map before he swung his arm up, pointing to a brightly twinkling star to the right of Minho's head. His boyfriend turned to look at what was being shown to him.

"That's you. I searched and searched and searched for months, combing through books full of star dates and making reference sheets to when stars may die. I don't know what scientific name they gave off the top of my head but ... that's you!"

Minho didn't answer at first, his expression unreadable. He continued to star at the sky, turning so his back was fully to Jisung. This was the perfect time, and he fished around in his pocket once more.

"You'll keep shining up there, even if you're walking around on Earth, for millions upon millions of people to see. For hundreds of years, Minho, you'll be twinkling right there, showing your beauty to every single human that sees you." He sank down on one knee, opening the tiny box he now held within his hand.

Minho seemed to hear the small shift in movement and turned around, searching for where Jisung had disappeared to. Jisung could see a small glisten in his eyes, probably from tears, and he scrubbed at his nose with a sniffle. Upon seeing what Jisung was doing, he raised his arms to his chest and pressed a hand against his lips; he looked like he was about to cry harder. "Lee Minho, will you be the light of my life and marry me?" The pun was cheesy and dumb, created by none other than Seungmin himself, and Jisung hoped it would work ...

Minho dropped to his own knees, expression a tangled mess of tears and happiness. "Y-yes, yes of course. I'd love to ... Jisung." ... and it did.

Jisung smiled, expression soft, and reached out to gently wipe his now-fiancee's tears away. He then removed the ring from its box, a beautiful golden band with a single diamond in the center. Minho held out a shaky hand and allowed him to slip it on; it looked like it was made just for him. He opened his arms, and Minho sank against him with a quiet sniffle.

"I love you, Minho," he murmured, feeling fingers softly thread through his hair.

"I love you too. I will always love you, Jisung."

With the stars shining their approval above, Minho kissed Jisung long and hard. The next chapter of their lives was only just beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> my hands hurt 
> 
> as usual, find me on twt @jisungpng !  
> i'll give u fic spoilers for pizza and pics of felix


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